Just finished reading John Douglas' book, Obsession, which deals with serial rapists, killers, stalkers, etc. John Douglas was with the FBI and was in on the development and later became the head of the department's "profiler" unit.

Obsession was an extremely hard book to read. Took me four times as long then a book of similar size. I can only sit, intermittently, through the revulsion I felt in reading these second and third hand accounts of the pure evil that walks among us. Yet, the book is informative and I think a must read, especially for women.

Thank you for the frank and honest assessment of a topic that is too often brushed aside: "Oh that kind of thing never happens around HERE!"

I have not read the book, but, now that you've brought it to my attention, I plan to acquire a copy and give it a read very soon.

"The evil that walks among us" as you so aptly phrase it - takes on the guise of many an innocuous character in daily life - a few years back a friend and co-worker and I would get our families together for weekend barbecues, children's birthdays, babysitting backup etc. Sometimes the "guys" would watch the game on tv while the "gals" caught up on whatever the topic du jour was...

One day, the husband of my friend blew his brains out all over her with a .357 magnum - trying to take her with him at the same time...

You NEVER know what is going to be a "trigger" for someone. Stalkings and obsessions take on many different forms. While it may seem that someones attention is harmless flirting or just "fun" - there may be indicators of an underlying danger that we would all be wise to acquaint ourselves with. Important to note - often the behaviour that "triggers" a predator's obsession is not provoked by the victim's concious behaviour - what I mean to point out is that the victim may be unaware that something they are doing (ie. wearing their hair in a style similar to the predator's 3rd grade teacher or some other equally weird parallel) is drawing in the evil.

It can happen to ANYONE.

Educate yourself, be aware, NEVER get complacent. Do not be paranoid, but do not bury your head in the sand.